‘Food isn’t about getting through the day, Sebastian.’ She waved her bread under his nose as if he didn’t already have his own piece just begging to be finished. ‘It’s about stopping and appreciating the moment. It’s about exploring new tastes and textures. It’s about giving yourself a little piece of comfort or joy and sharing that with others.’
The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine, 4/5 stars
“I liked standing near the edge with my shoulders back, my fingers dusted with soil. I would lift my face to the wind and inhale the loamy musk of the Outside as Sivo worked, stabbing at the ground, cursing his undernourished greens, radishes, and beets. Occasionally peas would flourish, and that was a good day when we would actually have pea soup. Perla would make it with bits of rabbit meat and Sivo swore it was nearly as tasty as when his mother made it with ham.”
Reign of Shadow by Sophie Jordan, 3/5 stars.
Reign of Shadow follows Luna through the kingdom of Relhok, a kingdom enduring a perpetual eclipse. While the novel had a strong fairy tale feel, it was its own story (vs. a re-telling), which I found refreshing. An entertaining read and one that Brice and I both had fun reading.
We all know Celaena has a wicked sweet tooth, as I showcased here and here. Has anyone else noticed how often Celaena eats apples, though? It’s all the time. In case you don’t believe me, I’ve scoured Sarah J. Maas’s Heir of Fire for quotes.
She munched on the apple as she studied him now, in his usual pale-gray tunic and wide belt, hood thrown back and leather vambraces gleaming in the light afternoon sunlight.
“I liked hearing her earnest chatter, I liked the bizarre dishes served alongside our tea–buttered sandwiches, yes, but also a curry-scented bread which drove memories of Aunt Patience’s arrogant tiered refreshments straight from my mind.” For a Jane Steele inspired curry recipe, click here. 4/5 stars
Ezra Mason: Yeah. So all hell breaks loose, and Kady is yelling at me and I’m yelling back. All this stuff that’d been building up for the last year and boiling just under the skin. Like, I loved her. I love her. But she had this way of just . . . It was so stupid. The world is ending all around us and we’re screaming about college applications and commitment and
$%!*&. I mean, can you believe that?Interviewer: You’re seventeen, right?
Ezra Mason: Almost eighteen.
Interviewer: Then yes, I believe it.
Ezra Mason: Cold, chum. Real cold.
For an Illuminae-cover inspired Coconut Cream Fruit Tart recipe, click here.
5/5 stars
“The faint aroma of apples filled the air, and the lingering stain of rot smeared the teeth of those who smiled at Irina.”
The apples in this book never sounded appealing. For a non-apple recipe that Loralei and company could have taken on the road, click here.
3/5 stars
A Snow White re-telling with a few twists, though it stays fairly close to the classic. After the Evil Queen overtakes her kingdom, Princess Loralei becomes a fugitive determined to win back her crown.
I liked this book more than I expected to. It was an entertaining, quick read. I did dock it a few stars for gaps in the plot, a deus ex machine, if you will…. …though I suppose anyone being saved from death by true love’s kiss is a deus ex machina? Mostly, I was disappointed with the Evil Queen’s characterization. The effort was there, but no follow through.
“All right, enough,” said Jules. “We’re taking a break from killings and profiles for dinner.” He took the boxes from Emma, shooting her a grateful look, and set them down on the coffee table. “I don’t care what you all want to talk about, it just can’t involve murder or blood. Any blood.”
“But it’s vampire pizza,” Livvy pointed out.
“Immaterial,” Julian said. “Couch. Now.”
For a pizza + sauce recipe that will have you raving over how it could possibly be so good, click here.
Blue,
Okay, first of all, Oreos absolutely qualify as a food group. Second of all, they’re the ONLY food group that matters. My sisters and I actually made up this place called the Shoreo a few years ago one night when we were staying at our aunt’s house. It’s like this place where everything is made of some kind of Oreo, and the river is an Oreo milk shake, and you sit on top of this massive Oreo and float down it. You get to scoop up cups of milk shake whenever you want. It’s kind of like that scene in Willy Wonka, I guess.
For my Oreo-obsessed Simon inspired cupcake recipe, click here.
“Is that…chocolate cake?”
“I thought you might need some.”
“Need, not want?”
A ghost of a smile was on her lips, and he almost sagged in relief as he said, “For you, I’d say that chocolate cake is most definitely a need.”
Click here for a Crown of Midnight inspired chocolate cake recipe.
Click here for a review of the first book in the series, Throne of Glass.
At the cost of nearly her life, Celaena has won the title of champion. Now she’s her enemy’s assassin, dispatched to remove the King of Adarlan’s dissenters. She’s living luxuriously off her blood money in the glass castle, but her friend Nehemia won’t allow her to enjoy these comforts, and neither will Celaena’s conscience. It’s time for Celaena to decide whose side she’s truly on and her reluctance to choose will come at a price.
5/5 stars
For a Nina-inspired cake recipe, click here.
Cruel mob boss Kaz Brekker has a new job: break into the most impenetrable prison ever built. Enlisting the help of five other criminals from the Ketterdam slums, the six are staging a heist that will make them rich beyond their wildest dreams. The journey strains Kaz, though, breaking through his armor to reveal a seventeen-year-old vulnerable boy with a haunting past. … Continue reading
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